Should Our Congress Keep Their Salaries During the Government Shutdown?

Personally, I think Congress should still get their pay even during a government shut down. I know our country’s laws are set up for them to do so, to continue getting their salary even during a government shutdown, and they are getting their paychecks apparently, or will be, (unless they voluntarily don’t take it or give it to charity as Senator Ted Cruz says he will do), but there is a big push, lots of polling, etc, and even some Congressmen publicly ditching it for PR purposes, leading us towards a national call to take our Congressmen’s and Congresswomen’s salaries away during the government shut down.

After all, some say, if some government workers don’t get paid, why should our Senators and Representatives?

I say let’s remember this:

It’s not that we don’t want government at all, and to change things abruptly in the heat of any moment seems unwise. Instead… We want to cut out the WASTE of government. Most ALL Americans, on whatever side they stand on, want to cut government waste, and many of us don’t want such a big nationally-sized, one-size-fits-all government, hoping we can move some of the large organization of a large federal government to other venues such as states or for some things, back to business and the private sector.

So whether we want a smaller government or just want one that is working well and without fraud and abuse, or both, in some form or fashion, we want the WASTE to be tossed out. OK, perhaps some of you feel some of those Congressmen may fit that description, lol!

My point is that work SHOULD be compensated, and we should honor the hard work these men and women do in Congress too. (Yea, even the ones we don’t agree with are working hard… If they weren’t, we would all have an easy time of it, right?)

And think about it. How would you feel if you had to go to a hard job, do hard work, get lots of insults from everyone, those who don’t like you and those who even sometimes do, and be told your work isn’t even worthy of compensating anyway.

Yes, jobs should have compensation, and if and until we ever restructure our Congress’ jobs differently, they accepted the huge roles we gave them and are working in their current jobs as we told them they would be. As honest citizens, we should strive to live up to a high standard of honor… whether or not we feel, or know, others do… or do not. We gave them their current jobs with our good word, agreeing to pay them what we agreed to for their work.

But even more, we want our Constitution, our country’s framework, our history, and our country to survive. All those things include the system we have that includes our United States Senators and our Representatives, the voice of the people.

So even if we don’t like our specific leaders now, I’m pretty sure we don’t want to get rid of the very government system our country’s framers set up for us. To defund our own Constitutionally-given leaders on a whim seems almost as unwise as defunding our own military defense.

Oh, I understand.

We may not like each and every one of them. Some of us may not like any of them at all.

But they are OUR Congress, one of the three branches of our government, a foundational body that is part of what makes America what it is — a free Republic; a system of freedom to vote in and freedom to vote out those who work out our vision and law; a representation of normal Americans who have a right to disagree, to speak, and to be heard; and a place where we would STILL rather be probably more than any other place on this earth.

Should that model be worth something?

So as long as they are working, I say pay Congress for their work.

It seems like continuing to pay for the work our Congress does for us is a way to honor our word and the land in which we live.

When it all boils down, they’ll get by with or without getting paid, but we may be hard pressed to ever find another system of government (other than Heaven’s design itself) that is as great as the one we now have. So long as they are working for that government we are so blessed to have, and so long as there is money to still pay for their work, I say pay our Congressmen and Congresswomen.

Then change things for the better as and when you can if you still want.

At least then you can say you were true to your word and an honorable employer.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2: 1-2

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Chris Stevens

Hi! I'm Chris Stevens! If I had to “define who I am”, I would call myself an insightful wife, tested mom, upbeat grandma, and savvy CEO at home. In other words, I'm a #hero... at least to those under 5 years of age. :-) Please click the photo to read my bio!

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